This is the first book that teaches piano practice methods systematically, based on mylifetime of research, and containing the teachings of Combe, material from over 50 pianobooks, hundreds of articles, and decades of internet research and discussions with teachersand pianists. Genius skills are identified and shown to be teachable; learning piano can raiseor lower your IQ. Past widely taught methods based on false assumptions are exposed;substituting them with efficient practice methods allows students to learn piano and obtainthe necessary education to navigate in today's world and even have a second career. See http://www.pianopractice.org/

(Amadeus). This holistic approach to the keyboard, based on a sound understanding of the relationship between physical function and musical purpose, is an invaluable resource for pianists and teachers. Professor Fink explains his ideas and demonstrates his innovative developmental exercises that set the pianist free to express the most profound musical ideas. HARDCOVER.

"Offers a broad selection of practice tips with musical examples to help students of all ages find imaginative solutions to pianistic problems. The book explores how to: organize practice time; map music before practicing to uncover the musical terrain that lies ahead; use practice time effectively from the first reading through performance; develop fluency with accuracy; polish and memorize a piece; and lay the foundation for confident performance."--Amazon.com.

(Instructional). The essential companion for every musician. Accessible and authoritative, How to Practice Music is an ideal guide for anyone learning to play music. Suitable for instrumentalists and vocalists of any genre, this comprehensive handbook will give you a better idea of how to practice music, good reasons for doing so, and the confidence to succeed. Concepts: how to be motivated; how to plan your practice; how to warm up; how to practice core skills; how to practice pieces; how to practice mindfully; how to practice playing; and more!

(Amadeus). In this groundbreaking book, prize-winning pianist and noted educator William Westney helps readers discover their own path to the natural, transcendent fulfillment of making music. Drawing on experience, psychological insight, and wisdom ancient and modern, Westney shows how to trust yourself and set your own musicality free. He offers healthy alternatives for lifelong learning and suggests significant change in the way music is taught. For example, playing a wrong note can be constructive, useful, even enlightening. The creator of the acclaimed Un-Master Class workshop also explores the special potential of group work, outlining the basics of his revelatory workshop that has transformed the music experience for participants the world over. Practicing, in Westney's view, is a lively, honest, adventurous, and spiritually rewarding enterprise, and it can (and should) meet with daily success, which empowers us to grow even more. Teachers, professionals, and students of any instrument will benefit from this unique guide, which brings artistic vitality, freedom, and confidence within everyone's reach.

(Educational Piano Library). Students are genuinely surprised when things go wrong in a lesson. They don't realize that they only half-listen while practicing. When they do notice a problem, they simply play the passage over and over (cementing in the mistakes) and hope for the best. That's what most students call practicing. The Piano Student's Guide to Effective Practicing shows the student how to save time and build good practice habits. It helps the student solve specific problems with 58 concise practice tips clearly-explained drills and tactics for mastering challenging passages. Printed on heavy-coated stock for durability, the Guide is designed to be kept on the music desk for quick reference by the student when problems occur in daily practice. Practice tips are categorized to address issues of accuracy, balance, clarity, continuity, coordination, comfort, evenness, expression, fingering, rhythm and speed. The tips work for students at all stages and ages, including adults!

So many of the great pianists and teachers have come out of Poland and Russia (Rubinstein, Anton as well as Arthur, Leschetizky, Paderewski, the Lhevinnes, Gilels, Richter, and others), yet we know little about their methods of learning and teaching. George Kochevitsky in The Art of Piano Playing supplies some important sources of information previously unavailable in the United States. From these sources, tempered by this own thinking, Kochevitsky formulated a scientific approach that can solve most problems of piano playing and teaching. George Kochevitsky graduated in 1930 from Leningrad Conservatory and did post-graduate work at Moscow Conservatory. After coming to the U.S., he taught privately in New York City, gave a number of lectures, and wrote for various music periodicals.

ON PIANO PLAYING begins with a revealing introduction to the fundamental relationships among motions and emotions, the keyboard itself and the human performing mechanism - the physical equipment that is used to make music. Here Sandor explains the role each plays in performance, pointing out typical mistakes and misconceptions that get in the way of virtually every pianist. He then discusses the basic technical patterns: free fall, scales and arpeggios, rotation, staccato, and thrust. Aided by carefully designed exercises, he shows how to execute physical movements to build muscle tone, sharpen coordination, and increase strength and flexibility. The exercises are based on common-sense principles of anatomy and physiology. Sandor next applies these patterns to the classic repertoire, showing how to play the exposition of Beethoven's WALDSTEIN sonata, for example. The emphasis in this section is on simplicity of motion and movement, and on ways to integrate motions to optimal effect - how to identify the technical patterns of a score and put them in the service of musical interpretation. No pianist, Sandor demonstrates, need suffer fatigue or exhaustion from playing a difficult piece. He shows that strength alone is not enough; the ability to use different muscles of the upper arm - is essential if practice is to be something more than a mechanical warming-up exercise. Special attention is given to problems of interpretation and performance as well: pedalling, variants, the development of precise musical diction and a singing piano tone, and much more. And he explores the common psychological challenges of public performance as well. Complete with line drawings, photographs, and many musical examples, ON PIANO PLAYING provides the means for mastering the complexities and intricacies of good musicianship. It offers an accessible, intriguing, and effective program for developing the fundamental skills that are the building blocks of good music-making.

" . . . a most precious book which every serious pianist and teacher must own." —Journal of the American Liszt Society Joseph Banowetz and four distinguished contributors provide practical suggestions and musicological insights on the pedaling of keyboard works from the 18th to the 20th century.